Speaking at the San Fernando ASJA Mosque during ‘juma’ prayers, Sulaimani saluted Rowley’s stance saying people are duty- bound to help and especially those in the Muslim community, even if it meant people having to facilitate a family in Dominica in their respective homes .

“People do not have food, drinking water and their houses have been destroyed,” Sulaimani told the congregation. He called on Muslims to begin putting together their Zakaat to send to Dominicans and they must be at the forefront in initiating such a drive .

“Muslims must not be holy only during the month of Ramadaan .

What has happened to our neighbours, is a test for us. Or, it is a punishment depending how we look at it from an Islamic perspective .

It is public knowledge that some of these islands are filled with lewed activities, for tourists. They commit sin. But, it also serves as a test for us here, for we are not to blame others, but reform others using the best way,” Sulaimani said .

The mosque was packed to capacity and included Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein, former House Speaker Nizam Mohammed, Justice Robin Mohammed and retired judge Shahfeyei Shah .

Sulaimani said that the calamities that befall some, is a test of faith for those who have not yet been affected by hunger, thirst and the forces of nature .

“Nationals of this country must never lull themselves into a false sense of security, in believing the winds will not destroy us, for we are told as Muslims, to seek refuge from the evil of the winds and the very water which cleanse us.” With this in mind, Sulaimani said, Rowley made a bold declaration for nationals of this country to sponsor a family, relative or friend they may know who have lost their home in Dominica .

“That is why I salute the prime minister. Let us not play politics with this. The prime minister understands the effect on the one who gives, at a time, to the one who is in need.”

Pepper spray is a great non-lethal weapon to have in one’s possession, especially if travelling alone at night. It is an invaluable instrument of self-defence since it possesses the remarkable ability to inflame the mucous membranes of the attacker’s eyes, nose, throat and lungs.

The criminal is temporarily blinded and also experiences breathing problems as the pepper spray is extremely pungent.

The effects usually last long enough to allow the victim to escape.

Pepper spray in a woman’s is a powerful tool that can save lives and mishaps of the worst kind.

CHELSEA BEDASE El Dorado

Speaking at a function at City Hall on Thursday night to commemorate World Day of Peace and make San Fernando a “Peace City,” Kokaram said the legal system which had been fostered on a people to resolve disputes instead served in most cases to exacerbate broken relationships.

“An adversarial system which sanctions civilised warfare between disputants. A system which has recoded physical violence for a far more insidious type of violence, of language which is socially acceptable and socially destructive.” Taking some responsibility for the system which he represents and symbolises, Kokaram pointed out that the system made it socially acceptable for someone to stop talking to their neighbour and instead send off pre-action protocol letters.

“It is a system which tells you don’t talk to your opponent, let your lawyers do that, conditioning you to remain in your private silos. impervious to alternative realities.” He cited real examples of family disputes between parent and child which had reached the court, and lamented the need for both parties to be respected and acknowledge each other’s importance in the family unit.

“Who is having that conversation?” he asked.

“Institutionally, the legal system as the force of the State compels people, orders them to do things. The force of the law legitimises violent acts such as the destruction of homes, the removal of crops, the laying of oil pipes in forests, the taking of a life.

“We live in an adversarial society. We have been conditioned to the view that to achieve peace there must be a war of attrition of rights. To achieve an increase wages there must be strikes, to achieve respect there must be inflammatory language, to achieve better conditions of life there must be protest.” His audience included San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello, Australia’s smiling policeman and Rotarian Geoffrey Bernard William Little, District Governor from Suriname Waddy Sowma, Basheer Mohammed, president of the Princes Town Rotary Club which initiated the commemoration.

Kokaram said simple issues had mushroomed into national controversies because of missed opportunites for working peace plans.

“The highway reroute conflict, the judiciary controversy, the ferry fiasco, the Couva hospital: all of these national controversies have mushroomed from simple desires to better the human conditions but that desire is now lost in our conditioning of positioning, leveraging, The judge knocked the celebration of peace in the face of humanitarian atrocities such as the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims, the Isis campaign declaring war against established order, the sabre-rattling of the United States and the North Koreans, human-rights atrocities in Venezuela and the violence which erupted in St Maarten in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, with groups turning on each other, “the proverbial man crab betraying the social inequalities that existed under the mascaraed of the island paradise in the Caribbean sun.” Saying the system was outdated and there was need for a new way of doing things, Kokaram suggested that peace be the centre of focus in a new paradigm.

“Instead of doing things to people, institutions should devise a way of working with people. Our jurisprudence and our system of justice should work with people and not against them, towards finding results which allows them to enrich their lives and not destroy it.” He said the system should be more human and more humane.

After the function, the audience, led by the cadet corps, joined in a candle-lit peace march around Harris Promenade, which ended in front of City Hall, where Regrello planted a peace pole to mark San Fernando as a “Peace City.”

Although I was never a follower of the PNM, I felt that Dr Keith Rowley could make a difference in the leadership of TT . So, now that he has uncovered this major flaw in the government, I am anxious to know what his plans are to address the issue.

We read daily of many top-notch officials in foreign countries being sent to jail for corruption.

Is he strong enough to instigate same?

“We are fully mobile and can work anywhere we are called,” said owner Ronnie Tuitt who runs the business with his wife Lystra Joseph- Tuitt.

Never satisfied with all the untrained individuals who get a bucket and cloth and call themselves car washers, Tuitt, an avid car enthusiast, saw a need for people to have their cars professionally cleaned.

“A car is quite a substantial investment for most persons and it is therefore not only necessary to maintain its appearance for resale and aesthetic purposes, but to also keep it maintained for health purposes,” Tuitt said.

The company began its operation in January 2017 but Mobilescape had actually been conceptualised about three years prior to that. Services range from car interior and exterior cleaning to upholstery extraction in vehicles, business places and homes.

“Persons spend a great deal of time in their vehicles with their windows up. It could lead to respiratory and other health concerns if these confined spaces are not maintained. Many traditional car wash employ untrained individuals and use substandard techniques and materials. These practices not only cause damage to materials of vehicles but are not health and environment friendly,” Tuitt said.

As a result, he says Mobilescape’s aim is to revolutionise the car cleaning industry by educating the public on the importance of having their cars maintained by competent and knowledgable personnel. In preparation for this business venture Tuitt went to Detail King Training institute in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to complete a course in auto detailing.

The course proved very insightful and helped him dispel many misconceptions about the cleaning of vehicles. The course also facilitated the evolution of Mobilescape’s business model.

The Mobilescape vehicle comes with its own equipment and supplies to wash anywhere it is parked. These include its own water supply and electricity. The company owns a panel van for the car washing, a station wagon for upholstery cleaning and a pickup to handle larger cleaning jobs which require more water.

Mobilescape targets working people who are too busy to get their vehicles properly cleaned.

“We aim to clean these vehicles when the owners have them parked up at their work places.

We also do on-site professional cleaning of upholstery in vehicles, offices and homes.” And how is that done? “We call the company and make prior arrangements to clean the cars of the staff. On the day of the appointment we come early and set up our tent and other equipment.

Then we begin to work according to the previously arranged work order. Each customer’s car is washed according to their specified time so that they are not inconvenienced in any way,” Tuitt said.

He said his company operates wherever it is safe to so do in Trinidad, because his employees are women so their safety is important.

If a place is unknown to them, then the director visits first to ensure safety.

Tuitt said the reason for having a female workforce is because it is proven that they pay better attention to details which some men are keen to overlook. Each staff member goes through a threeweek training course before being allowed to work on the vehicles.

Employees are professionally uniformed so that the client feels certain and secure that they are legitimate staff of Mobilescape.

The women work from 7am to 5pm from Tuesday to Saturday, but also work outside of those days when prior appointments are made.

Thus far, Tuitt said there has been tremendous feedback. “In an environment of crime, persons are reluctant to go anywhere to have their cars washed. We offer to do the job at the safety of the clients’ workplace or neighbourhood. We currently have weekly commitments to companies such as First Citizens’ Bank, Kaleidoscope, Ansa Polymer, Arawak Ltd to name a few,” said Tuitt.

As for his future plans, Tuitt says it’s all about making Mobilescape a household name throughout Trinidad and Tobago that is synonymous with the highest standard at competitive rates. He said: “It is expected based on the current trends to bring two additional panel vans and hire and train six new persons before the end of 2017. In this environment of lay off and retrenchment, Mobilescape hopes to be hiring new and energetic persons to join our team.”

“Some people may refuse to go to the courts to resolve issues. One of the spouses may not have enough money to pay a lawyer to fast track the matter so there are several issues and I don’t think we should just jump and arrive at a conclusion to what the Chief Justice said. Let us do a comprehensive research that is required.” Dottin continued, “I think we need to do a lot more research before we arrive at conclusions.

There is a shift in values.

We continue to experience a cultural shift in values but, I believe that cultural shift continues to hurt us.” Dottin said that he is seeing more and more single parents in society and a lot of young people are out of control.

He said there has been a significant increase in the acceptance of responsibility by churches and counsellors.

“I know a number of churches have been involved.

Our church has a marriage enrichment programme that is seeking to bring families together…”

In announcing the relaxation of immigration rules for Dominican citizens on Thursday, Rowley cited an old saying, “A house is never too small for family.” To this we add another: we can all see today, but we cannot see tomorrow. Who knows if one day the shoe will be on the other foot? As with most policy initiatives, there has been some degree of scepticism in response on social media, motivated ostensibly by concerns over security, economic considerations and even fears of voter-padding.

Yet, what has been announced is not a complete waiving of immigration rules for Dominicans – who already enjoy a special status as Caricom nationals. Rather, the measure is one which simply makes it easier for Dominicans eligible to come here and stay a little longer provided they have adequate local ties.

As for economic considerations, it cannot be in the interest of any free-market block to see fellow trade partners left to oblivion.

In the long run, it is in Trinidad and Tobago’s interest to see our markets recover from the utter devastation wrought. According to a recent estimate by the World Trade Organisation, this country is Dominica’s top trading partner in terms of volume of imports and exports (approximately 19 per cent).

Even disaster-struck Antigua stands ready to assist Dominica.

As for fears of voter-padding, that risk is a matter which is always a hypothetical possibility, whether Dominicans come or not.

We have a robust electoral system which has checks and balances and is even reviewable by the courts. These checks and balances are more than enough to allay hypothetical fears that likely have more to do with xenophobia than any genuine concern for elections at large.

We also commend all those NGOs and private business organisations that have mobilised relief efforts alongside official measures adopted by the State. Even the TT Cricket Board is organising a charity Twenty20 match featuring a Red Force XI and Regional XI to aid our Caribbean neighbours.

This degree of goodwill is a reminder of the mood that prevailed after the devastating earthquake in Haiti of 2010.

The State’s decision to facilitate schoolchildren from Dominica at local schools is also a thoughtful addition to the package of aid given.

We look forward to the rolling out of the details of all of these measures in the coming days so that citizens can quickly take steps to welcome our brothers and sisters from Dominica.

But we must remember that the hurricane season is not over yet.

While we have been lucky to escape relatively unscathed thus far, we must be prepared for the possibility of further storm activity.

Already some experts are predicting additional hurricanes, beyond that of Jose and Maria. Hurricane season runs through November 30, and it is plausible that more tropical storms might form right up to the wire, perhaps even into December.

Whether God is a Trini or not, it is always better to be prepared than not. In the face of any incoming storm, windows should be guarded, homes protected from flooding as much as possible, loose objects should be secured, appliances prepared for power outages, and home inventories prepared.

It is useful to devise a hurricane preparedness checklist for your household.

We can do all of this while we have the luxury to do so. And we can also be our brother’s keeper, knowing that one day we may find ourselves in need.

Minister in the OPM, Stuart Young made the announcement on Thursday at the weekly post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s. Young said the conversation will be chaired by Prime Minister Keith Rowley and there will be a detailed presentation by the Finance Ministry on the state of the country’s economy.

He said the forum will also see presentations by members of the business community, the labour movement and other stakeholder groups in the country.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert will present what is widely expected to be an austerity budget in the House of Representatives on October 2 at 1.30 pm. The current parliamentary session has been prorogued and the new session opens on September 29.

Already, he said, UWI was sending experts ranging from structural engineers to water-resource personnel and even psychologists to counsel the bereaved and traumatised.

Cobley welcomed new students to the UWI St Augustine campus on Thursday at the matriculation ceremony on behalf of Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles, whose father died earlier this week.

On Monday, Maria made landfall on Dominica and ravaged the island.

Barbuda, Antigua’s sister isle, was completely destroyed days earlier by Irma. In his welcome remarks and referring to the havoc wreaked by the hurricanes, Pro Vice Chancellor and campus principal Prof Brian Copeland said St Augustine has accepted UWI’s challenge of an “activist agenda that targets an effective alignment with industry and government, to drive a stronger, more robust culture of self-sustainability, wealth creation and social and ecological good.” Committed to the agenda, he reiterated his previous statements at the installation of UWI’s sixth Chancellor, Robert Bermudez, in which he said the role of national and regional education systems in building new societies must address current social, economic and ecological ills.

“Our governance and culture would make man-made disasters a thing of the past.” In the aftermath of natural disasters like Irma and Maria, Copeland said, “Our citizens would be able to survive and build and maintain resilient communities that can grow to re-establish sustainable societies.

Citizens would understand, respect and protect the ecology.

Those of us who have been markers with CXC can vouch for the efficiency of the table markers because of the numerous checks and balances involved.

Since CXC has moved on to e-marking the exercise has not gone smoothly and there are many teething problems to solve before the users of this service can be satisfied with it.

The public must have noted the confusion with examination results, which some members of the public without knowledge of the process were quite eager to heap at the doorsteps of the minister. What many people did not realise was that a few days before the results were due to be released to the public, marking was not completed due to inefficiencies in the e-marking process.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia and his ministry will do well to hold their hands on committing the students under their care to an e-marking system without the relevant infrastructure in place.

There are reasons why not one Caribbean country has yet embraced this e-marking dynamic.

There is a great deal of physical infrastructure that has to be set up first, including a reliable Internet service and knowledgeable technicians, teachers and administrators.

I acknowledge that e-testing is the way to go in the future but not without the system being ready to handle it. With these perilous economic times on our doorstep it may take longer than CXC would like but there is wisdom in waiting while the system gets ready as fast as it possibly can.

Garcia has once again shown why it is important to have as a Minister of Education a person well versed in the education system. That way the country avoids hasty decisions which will do greater harm than good if it is hurried. Good going, sir.

Keep up the good work.

PAULINE ISIDORE via e-mail